1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and apparatus for producing three-dimensional television images. More specifically, the invention relates to means for scanning, transmitting/acquiring, and projecting three-dimensional images using two cameras and a Dual Single Side Band to transmit image signals to a client receiver for demultiplexing to a display device. The image on the display device can be viewed without the use of special 3D glasses.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,513 issued to Imsand discloses an early attempt at broadcasting 3D signals. The system uses alternate video signals from stereoscopic cameras to provide a composite 3D image. Like many early 3D systems, digital signal processing is used to “converge” the image and reduce blur and other undesirable artifacts.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,075,556 issued to Urano et al. Discloses a 3D television encoding system where left and right eye images are horizontally scanned to produce left and right line image signals, the image signals are then converged or mixed using digital signal processing techniques. As with the Imsand patent, no broadcasting technique is disclosed.
The present invention is directed to a method of encoding, broadcasting, transmitting, decoding, and displaying a 3D image signal. The image signal is acquired by deploying a pair of stereoscopically positioned digital cameras to acquire a corresponding pair of digital image signals. A first camera is operated in a horizontal scan mode, while a second camera is operated in a vertical scan mode to produce differential left and right video signals. The unmixed signals are simultaneously transmitted, each via one of dual single sidebands on the same center frequency. A video receiver includes digital signal decoding and processing circuitry and a standard digital display having both horizontal and vertical scan capability. The receiver decodes the dual sideband signal and presents the 3D image signal via alternating horizontal and vertical scans to produce a 3D image from the differential left and right video signals.
In one application of the inventive technique a virtual retinal display device is driven by the received and decoded left and right image signals to form a 3D image directly on the retinas.
In another application of the invention a pair of cameras are mounted in a helmet worn by armed forces personnel, the cameras utilizing the differential scanning method of the invention to produce a 3D image which can be viewed within the helmet. The differential signal may be transmitted to a base station for ranging and other processing employing the transmitting method as described above. Additionally, a laser rifle scope may be synced to the helmet to allow personnel to peer over and around cover using the rifle scope image, which is transmitted via, e.g., Bluetooth to the helmet for display on either the left or right image display.
In another application a compact pair of stereoscopic cameras may be mounted on or integrated with a robotic bomb disarming unit, with the image data transmitted to a remote location to allow for more efficient manipulation of the robot toolset using a 3D image.